IEC Ready to Administer Special Vote
May 27, 2024This Time, My Vote for the ANC is Emphatic
May 28, 2024The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has reiterated its call for students at Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to submit their banking details to receive their NSFAS allowances. This reminder came from NSFAS Administrator Freeman Nomvalo during a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday, where he discussed progress on the disbursement of student allowances, student accommodation, and other administrative reforms.
Nomvalo explained that NSFAS has devised a new payment mechanism to address the distribution of allowances for TVET students, with payments now being made directly to students’ bank accounts as of April 26, 2024. He reported that 211,591 students’ bank accounts have been verified, while 7,160 accounts failed verification checks due to issues such as the use of parents’ bank accounts.
Emphasizing the need for accurate information, Nomvalo stated, “The banking details provided must belong to the student to enable NSFAS to verify the information against the student’s details on the scheme’s record and minimize potential risks.” He urged students without bank accounts to open one and advised those whose verification failed to re-submit the correct details via the myNSFAS portal.
Acknowledging the challenges faced by university students, Nomvalo noted that the direct payment mechanism currently applies only to TVET students. University students will continue to receive their allowances through their institutions.
**Addressing Student Accommodation Issues**
Nomvalo also addressed issues related to student accommodation, particularly the outstanding payments to private student accommodation landlords. NSFAS has set up a dedicated email and increased capacity to handle disputes and concerns from landlords, who are urged to submit their issues by May 31, 2024, to NSFASAccomProv@nsfas.org.za.
“All inquiries received will be processed and paid by the end of May 2024. There may still be outstanding invoices at the end of May which will still need to be processed during June,” Nomvalo assured.
In preparation for future student accommodation needs, NSFAS is organizing a national conference in September 2024, involving various stakeholders, including private and public accommodation providers. A Task Team has been established to address all accommodation-related issues and is expected to report back at the conference.
**Enhancing Administrative Capacity**
To strengthen the office of the Administrator and address longstanding issues, including the submission of financial statements and the Close Out Report, Nomvalo announced that additional capacity would be procured by the end of this month.
NSFAS’s efforts aim to ensure the efficient disbursement of allowances and address accommodation issues, reinforcing its commitment to supporting students’ educational journeys